Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology Robert J. Lifton has defined eight psychological themes of totalism. He warns that "where totalism exists, a religion, a political movement, or even a scientific organization becomes little more than an exclusive cult"
(Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism, 1989). These eight psychological themes are being used by the OSPI to transform the learning and teaching throughout Washington State public schools.
OSPI uses the thought reform techniques to deceive an entire citizenry, while specifically targeting children and educators. Schools that are not meeting Adequate Yearly Progress must begin the school improvement process. The school improvement resource guides developed by the OSPI are designed around the eight psychological themes of thought reform. The table below shows this correlation. My report to the Attorney General explains this correlation.
1. Assess Readiness of Benefit
2. Collect, Sort, and Select Data
3. Build & Analyze the School Portfolio
4. Set and Prioritize Goals
5. Research and Select Effective Practices
6. Craft Action Plan
7. Monitor Implementation of the Plan
8. Evaluate Impact on Student Achievement
Lifton's Eight Psychological Themes for Thought Reform
1. Milieu Control. This involves the control of information and communication both within the environment and, ultimately, within the individual, resulting in a significant degree of isolation from society at large.
2. Mystical Manipulation. There is manipulation of experiences that appear spontaneous but in fact were planned and orchestrated by the group or its leaders in order to demonstrate divine authority or spiritual advancement or some special gift or talent that will then allow the leader to reinterpret events, scripture, and experiences as he or she wishes.
3. Demand for Purity. The world is viewed as black and white and the members are constantly exhorted to conform to the ideology of the group and strive for perfection. The induction of guilt and/or shame is a powerful control device used here.
4. Confession. Sins, as defined by the group, are to be confessed either to a personal monitor or publicly to the group. There is no confidentiality; members' "sins," "attitudes," and "faults" are discussed and exploited by the leaders.
5. Sacred Science. The group's doctrine or ideology is considered to be the ultimate Truth, beyond all questioning or dispute. Truth is not to be found outside the group. The leader, as the spokesperson for God or for all humanity, is likewise above criticism.
6. Loading the Language. The group interprets or uses words and phrases in new ways so that often the outside world does not understand. This jargon consists of thought-terminating cliches, which serve to alter members' thought processes to conform to the group's way of thinking.
7. Doctrine over person. Member's personal experiences are subordinated to the sacred science and any contrary experiences must be denied or reinterpreted to fit the ideology of the group.
8. Dispensing of existence. The group has the prerogative to decide who has the right to exist and who does not.
(Lifton, 1989, available from http://www.csj.org/infoserv_articles/lifton_robert_thoughtreform_abs.htm)
